Just wondering your thoughts and opinions on something I thought about today.
There is the idea that a baby ready to come out is going to come out eventually for the most part (let's say for "normal" birth). But in reading many birth stories, there is also a point where exhaustion sets in for mothers labouring for hours, pushing for a long time, etc. This sometimes leads to transferring to hospitals (for HB) or c-section (baby is taking "too long")...
Yet I also read some posts here (under subj of painless birth I think) about cases of baby being born while mother was asleep!
So just wondering how much is conscious effort and how much is the body doing its thing no matter what?

I slept in labor with ds using hypnosis - at least if felt like I slept. Definately was a more restful labor experience. I think not pushing too hard for progress is important - but probably not the only key to the problem - but if you can make some kind of peace (even if you are grouchy) with letting things stop and slow - then my experience is that the body will give you a chance to rest.

I think it completely depends on the mother and the baby, her body, baby's position, mother's mental state, etc.

I've had a super easy labor that was short and needed very little in the way of me but I had to PUSH hard to get him out. Then I've also had a long, exhausting labor that sapped every bit of energy I had but I held onto the wall and screamed while she rocketed out of me without one push on my part.

When I hit that stage, I was able to take a nap. I don't know if the contractions eased up or slowed down, but I was able to doze for at least 30 min and get a second wind.

With my first, I was afraid to sleep, because I thought my labor would stall (so what? at least you'll be better able to cope when it starts back up), and I did end up with an epidural. If I'd had someone to tell me, "It really is OK to rest. Go lie down, get as comfortable as you can, and nap a bit," I would have probably been able to cope without any meds.

I don't think labor is as concious as we make it - becoming the primal-you to labor... the primal part was given to us just as much as the concious part - but it's the primal part that gives birth. I learned that it's our job to get out of the way and to follow that part of ourselves, to listen to that part - the instinctual knowledge that we have that isn't influenced by outside thoughts, etc.

It's important to stay hydrated and be well-fed and to not "hurry things along" as much as is possible. But no matter who you are, I've never seen a Mom (or been that Mom) that's going through transition (okay, the last time when labor was only 1.5 hours) and didn't look/feel exhausted. Labor is taxing on body and spirit - fear is even more so.

So it's not at all surprising when someone says they are exhausted while laboring - that's almost to be expected from me now (as a doula anyways) - and I think a commonality. I don't think WE have to DO anything per say, but it's taxing all the same.

I would tend to say the mother needs to be less involved consciously than we think. I have read many stories of women in comas delivering and they're clearly not conscious!

: Let the body do its work. I remember the only time I actually thought about labor while I was in labor... It was the only time I was scared and wondered what was going on. Fortunately for me it was, like, 5 seconds and no longer, or there's no telling what may have happened if I'd panicked, etc.

: I think some mothers feel that they need to be extremely active during labor and that's just not necessarily the case. Your body does all the work and you usually don't have to do anything at all. Let your body do the pushing unless you feel you just can't help it and HAVE to push. One of my favorite sayings on the subject is "don't push the river; it flows by itself."

Some other things you can do to keep from getting exhausted would be to try your best to ignore the nesting instinct and save your energy, make sure you are getting refreshed with at least juice during labor, and try to rest and nap if you can during labor.

Some moms get really excited and start doing too much I think and that can exhaust you.

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